Ideas to promote the Tigers in 11/12 Season.

[mrslegend]

No they'll both do a re-surface between 7-10 mins depending on the condition of the ice and the driver. It was the old machine being used on Sat anyway.

[cheshiretitan]

Apr 21, 2011 9:10:34 GMT topbeats said:

As to Roary, he's away in Florida taking a very well deserved break so he was not available to us.

Drat, if I'd known I'd have threatened to help out there ;D

[onlyme]

I disagree Tom, I think harking back to the old days is totally relevant. The crowd capacity in the ice rink is almost half of what it was in the old days, but still it is not full. Those of us that have commented about the old days have all acknowledged the enjoyment that we experienced. I don't know the exact numbers for the catchment area of Telford Ice Rink but I would have thought that the catchment area is big enough to attract 1400 people to fill the rink. To encourage people to return the atmosphere at the rink needs to be so exciting that it is contagious, and it also needs to be new-supporter-friendly. I think the board need to look at the game night from the perspective of a new supporter; what would they want to see if they were new? and what did they enjoy from their first hockey game that maintained their involvement?
Having a more exciting atmosphere encourages people to attend and return to games; by having more people in the rink the Tigers can bring in more players; more players means the club is more likely to perform better in the league; better league performance encourages more supporters; which in turn enccourages more people to play the game themselves; which develops the next era of Tigers.
It all has to start somewhere and, unless the board can find a large sponsor, I think it needs to start with game day excitement. Those people that have been to a hockey game before may be happy to sit and watch in silence but new supporters may need something more to get them hooked.
To encourage old supporters to return perhaps the board should organise a retro-pricing game, where every person who arrives at the game with an old Tigers game programme can pay the entrance price that was being charged at that time.
I also think the board should look at more ways to make the game day more appealing to new supporters. Perhaps have the referee's signals in the programme, and/or have Roary and one of the players demonstrate the signals as part of the intro. This would help new supporters to understand the game a bit better, and if they can follow the game and feel part of the game crowd then maybe they will return to other games.
My comments, as always, are intended to constructively support the club development. Accepting the situation as it is will not help club development.

[tallpaul]

A host of constructive suggestions have been made throughout the season but, to be fair to the Board, they are a relatively small group of people that have their hands full already.

Rather than asking them to take more on is anyone willing to join me to make the effort to try to take some of these suggestions forward? If so, please feel free to send me a message.

Could a member of the Board also confirm that they are comfortable with this and perhaps send me any ground rules you want us to apply.

[brav607]

Tallpaul and myself have discussed many things during the season and he is correct in saying that the current board are inundated with things to do on a weekly basis and would welcome any help on offer, especially with regard to promoting the club to prospective sponsors.
The new marketing literature should be ready soon and available for those who wish to help us ....

[tom]

onlyme - I'm not saying that we should accept the situation, but the context we're working within in 2011 is very different to the one that existed during the glory years of British, and indeed Tigers, hockey.

For starters, most people only had access to 4 TV channels back then, so for many it must have been a choice between watching Noel Edmonds and Mr. Blobby prat about or go to Tigers. British society seems much more geared towards what's on TV these days too...I know people whose lives are dominated by the need to watch the next batch of rubbish, stereotypical popstars emerge on X Factor, or who seemingly can't sleep at night without knowing which Z-list "star" was voted off I'm A Celebrity.

Then you have the option of going out. I'm not sure about figures for the 80s and early 90s, but research has shown that in real terms alcohol is 50% cheaper now than it was in the 1970s. I could spend a tenner on a matchday ticket, or with the same money I could get a big case of beer from ASDA and have a night in with mates, or go to the pub for a few pints.

The point I'm trying to make is that it was much easier to fill the rink back then.

I like the idea of the retro night. Featherstone Rovers Rugby League (I think it was them) did a 50s themed game last season, where the players wore 50s style shirts, 50s music was played over the tannoy, and the admission price was set at 1950s prices. Maybe Tigers could do this with the 1980s?

We do need a better atmosphere at games. A small group of us near the bar end chant, but nobody else seems interested

[tigershots]

I will also admit that I was disappointed with the lack of build-up (no Roary?)

....... Was in florida with Me

Steve